Mike Faist’s parents played a crucial role in supporting his career from a young age. He was born on Jan. 5, 1992, and was adopted by Julia and Kurt Faist, who raised him in Gahanna, Ohio. Discovering his passion for acting and dancing early on, Faist made the decision to move to New York after completing high school, aiming to pursue a career in theater.
His breakthrough came when he appeared in Newsies on Broadway. However, it was his role as Connor Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen that truly propelled him to stardom, earning him a Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical.
Faist‘s success continued to soar with prominent roles in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story and, more recently, Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers, where he starred alongside Zendaya and Josh O’Connor.
Throughout his journey, Faist has often spoken about the unwavering support he has received from his parents.
Faist’s relationships with his parents and birth mother
Faist has openly discussed his childhood with his parents, Julia and Kurt, revealing that he also has a relationship with his birth mother, whom he met shortly before moving to New York at the age of 17.
In a 2017 interview with Interview Magazine, Faist shared insights into his relationship with his birth mother and her two sons, who were then college-aged. He expressed his efforts to establish a connection with them, indicating a desire to develop familial ties.
After his stint in Newsies, Faist recounted visiting his birth mother’s family, describing them as a family of pilots. This experience inspired him to pursue his own pilot’s license. Reflecting on this, Faist noted how it has become a bonding activity for them as a family.
He spent his childhood in Ohio
Faist hails from Gahanna, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus, where he was born and raised. In a conversation with Another Magazine, the actor reflected on the experience of returning home after achieving success in Hollywood. He described it as a humbling experience, noting the contrast between working with Steven Spielberg and then returning to Ohio.
One of the reasons Faist finds returning home humbling is because his relationships with family and friends remain unchanged despite his Hollywood success. He explained to the publication, that his friends are super supportive and they’re super proud, but at the end of the day, they still just Mike to them, which is great.
His parents supported his passion for movies from an early age
In an interview with Interview Magazine, Faist attributed his love for cinema to the old MGM films his parents had around the house. He humorously recounted how his parents would use VHS tapes of classic movies like Singing in the Rain and Fred Astaire films as a form of TV babysitting to keep him entertained.
Recalling his fascination with Gene Kelly’s performances, Faist expressed admiration, saying, Holy crap, this guy’s a magician! He highlighted his imaginative nature as a child and emphasized how the movies he watched further fueled his creativity. Overall, Faist described movies as a significant part of his upbringing that left a lasting impact on him.
He persuaded his parents to enroll him in dance classes
Watching those tapes not only instilled in Faist a love for movies but also inspired him to pursue singing, dancing, and acting himself. In his interview with Interview Magazine, he credited Gene Kelly as a major influence, stating, that he was definitely the guy. Gene wanted to emulate Faist when he was a kid.
Faist further elaborated on his theater beginnings, revealing that he insisted his parents enroll him in dance classes and began auditioning for community and children’s theater in Ohio. He attributed his interest in theater to the classic films he watched, emphasizing their role in sparking his passion for the performing arts.
He was employed in his parents real estate enterprise
When he wasn’t watching classic films or getting involved in local theater, Faist was busy helping his parents with their real estate business. The actor told Interview Magazine that he spent much of his summers doing construction work for the family business.
His father helped him in relocating to New York City
Faist took a significant step towards his dreams after graduating from high school ahead of schedule, relocating to New York City at the age of 17 to pursue a career in theater. Making this momentous move was not without its challenges, but Faist received invaluable support from his father, who drove 10 hours from Ohio to the Big Apple to assist him.
Reflecting on this pivotal moment, Faist recalled feeling terrified, a sentiment shared by his father. However, despite the fear, Faist was resolute in his determination to pursue his passion for theater. He expressed, that he knew what he wanted to do this more than anything in the world.
He returned to Ohio before his father’s passing
In February 2021, Faist made the decision to return to Ohio to be closer to his family after his father, Kurt, fell ill, as reported by Another Magazine. Sadly, on December 12, 2023, Kurt passed away due to a blood clot, marking the end of his three-year battle with pulmonary fibrosis.
Speaking to the publication, Faist’s aunts reminisced about Kurt, highlighting his infectious laughter and remarkable sense of humor. His sister, Cheri, recalled how Kurt had the ability to lighten the mood and bring laughter, even during difficult times. She shared that no matter what he went through, that guy could laugh and make us laugh when we came down to see him after the surgeries. A couple of times we were crying because he would get us laughing so hard about old memories.
